Was Pittsburgh ever snowy? (Erie, Beaver Falls: university, vs, stats)

[Independentthinking83]

I had time to use our elevation software at work. I drew lines from downtown to cranberry, downtown to library, downtown to Pittsburgh airport and downtown through the east end to Boyce park.

The highest elevation in the city is 1,223 ft. At the observatory in river view park. Mt. wash highest point is 1,168 ft. Downtown Pittsburgh elevation is 709 ft.

North: highest point is 1,278 ft. At rte 910 Wexford Ed.
South: highest point 1,278 ft. Near bethel church rd.
West: highest point 1,211 just east of Pitt airport.
East: highest point 1,244 ft. At Boyce park. The entire East end past Oakland sits below 1000 ft.

Snowiest point in flat northeast Ohio sits higher than any point in Allegheny County. Chardon is 1,329 ft. Downtown Cleveland sits at 642 ft.

Downtown Erie sits at 694 ft. Lake chatauqua Ny 1,790 ft.

Hidden Valley Ski Resort Peak 2,840 Ft.
Seven Springs Ski peak 2,973 ft.
Wise Resort at Deep Creek peak 3,088 ft.

If you like skiing or snowboarding Wisp resort in Maryland has the highest peak.

Pittsburgh is hilly with a low elevation. The highest points around Pittsburgh are in butler county north, Steubenville Ohio area west, Washington pa south and laurel highlands east.

It explains why we don’t get as much snow as surrounding areas and plus why pollution is stuck in the city.

[speagles84]

Originally Posted by Independentthinking83

I had time to use our elevation software at work. I drew lines from downtown to cranberry, downtown to library, downtown to Pittsburgh airport and downtown through the east end to Boyce park.

The highest elevation in the city is 1,223 ft. At the observatory in river view park. Mt. wash highest point is 1,168 ft. Downtown Pittsburgh elevation is 709 ft.

North: highest point is 1,278 ft. At rte 910 Wexford Ed.
South: highest point 1,278 ft. Near bethel church rd.
West: highest point 1,211 just east of Pitt airport.
East: highest point 1,244 ft. At Boyce park. The entire East end past Oakland sits below 1000 ft.

Snowiest point in flat northeast Ohio sits higher than any point in Allegheny County. Chardon is 1,329 ft. Downtown Cleveland sits at 642 ft.

Downtown Erie sits at 694 ft. Lake chatauqua Ny 1,790 ft.

Hidden Valley Ski Resort Peak 2,840 Ft.
Seven Springs Ski peak 2,973 ft.
Wise Resort at Deep Creek peak 3,088 ft.

If you like skiing or snowboarding Wisp resort in Maryland has the highest peak.

Pittsburgh is hilly with a low elevation. The highest points around Pittsburgh are in butler county north, Steubenville Ohio area west, Washington pa south and laurel highlands east.

It explains why we don’t get as much snow as surrounding areas and plus why pollution is stuck in the city.

Your numbers are all off to a considerable degree but the point is true. There's a point in plum that is 1400' which is the highest in Allegheny county.

Television hill in summer hill is 1378' which is the highest in the city.

Seven Springs is 2994'

[Independentthinking83]

Originally Posted by speagles84

Your numbers are all off to a considerable degree but the point is true. There's a point in plum that is 1400' which is the highest in Allegheny county.

Television hill in summer hill is 1378' which is the highest in the city.

Seven Springs is 2994'

It was a freehand line. Just plotted points along it. I was unaware television hill was the highest point. I was always told it was the observatory.

Downtown and the east end from shadyside to the Allegheny River are below 1000 ft elevation.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Katarina Witt

As I said, even at my jr. high, where almost everyone, probably 95% of kids, was bused, we rarely had a school day.

We girls had umbrellas.

Nor did we when I grew up much north of Pittsburgh. The difference is that society is much more litigious now and school officials usually err on the side of caution.

And, as this thread proves, it doesn't matter whether school is cancelled, delayed, or opens on time half of the population is pissed off about it.

[wxurbanite]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I can't believe we've had over 8" of snow already this season. I can't recall having more than 1" of snow on the ground at my place more than like twice. I guess they also measure snow that melts upon contact?

Just fyi, Pittsburgh's official snow is measured at the NOAA National Weather Service office located in Moon Township. The elevation at that office is around 1170 ft, which is near equivalent to the highest neighborhoods around Pittsburgh (Perry, Mount Washington, Upper Hill, etc). Often those neighborhoods receive snow, while the lower elevations do not. It's quite often I find myself driving up into a higher elevation neighborhood from Lawrenceville and go from rain at 34 degrees to snow at 31. It's amazing what elevation can do. I would guesstimate that Lower Lawrenceville (where I live) receives about 75% the snow of those neighborhoods above 1000ft or so. While you're slightly higher in Polish Hill, you're still lower than a considerable portion of Allegheny County.

[216facts]

Originally Posted by Independentthinking83

Snowiest point in flat northeast Ohio sits higher than any point in Allegheny County. Chardon is 1,329 ft. Downtown Cleveland sits at 642 ft.

Its not all that flat. Comparing Cuyahoga County and Allegheny County: the difference in land elevation differentials between the two counties is about 20 feet. (The highest point in Cuyahoga County is 1287 feet and the Lake Erie level is around 550 feet making Cuyahoga County's differential 737 feet.) I believe Pittsburgh's differential is about 20 feet more = 757 feet. Compare highest point to lowest point (where Ohio River exits the county.)

The snow belt here can be something to behold, traveling just 10 miles can be the difference between a few inches vs several feet. But I digress.

Its going to be 50s tomorrow, so we can forget about snow for now.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

Pittsburgh is moderately snowy for a city above the 40th parallel in the eastern half of the US. Quite average probably.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by ForYourLungsOnly

Pittsburgh is moderately snowy for a city above the 40th parallel in the eastern half of the US. Quite average probably.

Oh Christ, there you've gone and done it, called Pittsburgh average.

[gmagoo]

Originally Posted by zalewskimm

Exactly. And we all survived the squalls, black ice, etc.

Anyone else laugh at the iphone "ALERT" of the harmless, impending 2 minute snow squall Wednesday? Gimme a break.

The only people who may have needed an alert were people on the road who would be better off not looking at their phones. Ya, that really is a dumb idea.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by wxurbanite

Just fyi, Pittsburgh's official snow is measured at the NOAA National Weather Service office located in Moon Township. The elevation at that office is around 1170 ft, which is near equivalent to the highest neighborhoods around Pittsburgh (Perry, Mount Washington, Upper Hill, etc). Often those neighborhoods receive snow, while the lower elevations do not. It's quite often I find myself driving up into a higher elevation neighborhood from Lawrenceville and go from rain at 34 degrees to snow at 31. It's amazing what elevation can do. I would guesstimate that Lower Lawrenceville (where I live) receives about 75% the snow of those neighborhoods above 1000ft or so. While you're slightly higher in Polish Hill, you're still lower than a considerable portion of Allegheny County.

I noticed that too when I lived in Lawrenceville. Now I'm in Bellevue and at 980 ft in elevation (compared to the 840 ft I was at before), and have noticed a little more snow compared to Lawrenceville when I go between the two after a snowfall.